Methods and Apparatus for Determining the Operating State of Audio-Video Devices

• US 20100079597A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Stokes, Robert Joel, Conklin, Charles Clinton, Vitt, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,959,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4208 being a system bus, e.g. VME bus, Futurebus, Multibus
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device are described. Example methods and apparatus include monitoring messages transmitted via a data bus in a first AV device, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the first AV device, and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to a second AV device external to the first AV device. The example method also involves extracting messages associated with an operation of the second AV device from the monitored messages, analyzing the extracted messages for data associated with an operating state of the second AV device, and sending a command to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages and associated with the operating state of the second AV device. Additionally, the example methods and apparatus include identifying the operating state of the second AV device by analyzing the extracted messages and a response from the second AV device associated with the command.

Claims

1. A method for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device, the method comprising:

monitoring messages transmitted via a data bus in a first AV device, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the first AV device, and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to a second AV device external to the first AV device;

extracting from the monitored messages, messages associated with an operation of the second AV device;

analyzing the extracted messages for data associated with an operating state of the second AV device;

sending a command to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages and associated with the operating state of the second AV device; and

identifying the operating state of the second AV device by analyzing the extracted messages and a response from the second AV device associated with the command.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising monitoring consumption by a person of media provided by an AV device communicatively coupled to the AV network controller based on the operating state of the second AV device.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the AV network controller is a Consumer Electronic Control data bus controller.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the AV network controller is communicatively coupled to a plurality of AV devices external to the first AV device.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein extracting messages associated with the operation of the second AV device comprises extracting commands sent to the second AV device and responses from the second AV device or commands sent from the second AV device and responses to the second AV device.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein analyzing the extracted messages comprises identifying AV device events associated with a user interaction with the second AV device and identifying missing information associated with an operating state of the second AV device.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein sending the command to the AV network controller requesting missing information comprises generating a command addressed to the second AV device or a command broadcast to a plurality of AV devices.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the operating state of the second AV device comprises analyzing an AV device event associated with the extracted messages or an AV device event associated with the response received from the second AV device.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the operating state of the second AV device further comprises analyzing the operating states of a plurality of AV devices communicatively coupled to the AV network controller.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

13. A method for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device, the method comprising:

monitoring messages transmitted via a data bus in an AV device, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the AV device, and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to one or more AV devices external to the AV device;

extracting from the monitored messages, messages associated with an operation of the AV device;

analyzing the extracted messages for data associated with an operating state of the AV Device;

sending a command to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages and associated with the operating state of the AV device; and

identifying the operating state of the AV device by analyzing the extracted messages and a response from the AV device associated with the command.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, further comprising monitoring consumption by a person of media provided via an AV device communicatively coupled to the AV network controller based on the operating state of the AV device.

17. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the AV network controller module is a Consumer Electronic Control data bus controller.

19. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein extracting messages associated with the operation of the AV device comprises extracting commands sent to the AV device and responses from the AV device or commands sent from the AV device and responses to the AV device.

20. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein analyzing the extracted messages comprises identifying AV device events associated with a user interaction with the AV device and identifying missing information associated with an operating state of the AV device.

21. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein sending the command to the AV network controller requesting missing information comprises generating a command addressed to the AV device or a command broadcast to a plurality of AV devices.

22. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein identifying the operating state of the AV device comprises analyzing an AV device event associated with the extracted messages or an AV device event associated with the response received from the AV device.

23. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein identifying the operating state of the AV device further comprises analyzing the operating states of a plurality of AV devices communicatively coupled to the AV network controller.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

24. An apparatus for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device, the apparatus comprising:

a monitor communicatively coupled to a data bus in a first AV device and configured to monitor messages conveyed on the data bus, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the first AV device and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to a second AV device external to the first AV device;

an extractor coupled to the monitor and configured to extract messages associated with the operating state of the second AV device;

an analyzer coupled to the extractor and configured to analyze the extracted messages for data associated with the operating state of the second AV device;

a requestor coupled to the analyzer and configured to send commands to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages associated with the operating state of the second AV device; and

an identifier coupled to the requester and configured to analyze the extracted messages and a response associated with a command sent to the second AV device to identify the operating state of the second AV device.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the monitor is further configured to monitor consumption by a person of media provided by an AV device communicatively coupled to the AV network controller based on the operating state of the second AV device.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the AV network controller is communicatively coupled to a plurality of AV devices external to the first AV device.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the monitor is configured to monitor messages associated with an AV device event associated with a user interaction with one of the AV devices.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the extracted messages associated with the operation of the second AV device comprise commands sent to the second AV device and responses from the second AV device or commands sent from the second AV device and responses to the second AV device.

31. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the analyzer is further configured to analyze the extracted messages to identify AV device events associated with a user interaction with the second AV device and to identify missing information associated with an operating state of the second AV device.

32. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the commands sent to the AV network controller to request missing information comprise commands addressed to the second AV device or commands broadcast to a plurality of AV devices.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. An apparatus for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device, the apparatus comprising:

a monitor communicatively coupled to a data bus in an AV device and configured to monitor messages conveyed on the data bus, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the AV device and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to one or more AV devices external to the first AV device;

an extractor coupled to the monitor and configured to extract messages associated with the operating state of the AV device;

an analyzer coupled to the extractor and configured to analyze the extracted messages for data associated with the operating state of the AV device;

a requester coupled to the analyzer and configured to send commands to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages associated with the operating state of the AV device; and

an identifier coupled to the requester and configured to analyze the extracted messages and a response associated with a command sent to the AV device to identify the operating state of the AV device.

35. An apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein the monitor is further configured to monitor consumption by a person of media provided by an AV device communicatively coupled to the AV network controller based on the operating state of the AV device.

38. An apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein the monitor is configured to monitor messages associated with an AV device event associated with a user interaction with one of the AV devices.

39. An apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein the extracted messages associated with the operation of the AV device comprise commands sent to the AV device and responses from the AV device or commands sent from the AV device and responses to the AV device.

40. An apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein the analyzer is further configured to analyze the extracted messages to identify AV device events associated with a user interaction with the AV device and to identify missing information associated with an operating state of the AV device.

41. An apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein the commands sent to the AV network controller to request missing information comprise commands addressed to the AV device or commands broadcast to a plurality of AV devices.

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)